Does it ever feel to you guys that we Dems are fighting a losing battle? We stand for honest debate, protecting the Bill of Rights from right-wing encroachment, protecting the environment from industrial rape, and equality under the law (to the extent that it is possible).
The problem is, Republicans don't stand for any of those things yet they continue to beat us in the polls. Bush has overtaken Kerry in the presidential contest, the public generally has a favorable opinion of Bush and they are buying into Repuglican framing of Kerry. People don't want to believe bad news. If Bush says we should drill for oil in ANWR to reduce our dependence on foreign oil, the general public believes him - even if the numbers don't support it. If Bush says that he has made us safer since 9/11, the people believe him. The Republicans are all too happy to exploit this fact and are not at all bothered by lying to further their aims.
Basically, it comes to this: People want easy "answers" and Repuglicans give them what they want.
We Democrats won't dumb down our ideas so that they are more acceptable to the ignorant voting populace - nor should we. So where does that leave us? On the losing side of the battle is my guess.